if youre driving around monday, and see a picket line. honk and wave it might be me!!

Maybe in a couple more weeks there will be another union on strike........701 contract is up Aug 1st.

they are trying to push a b-card on us. 80% pay for working with plastic pipe. it looks like the walk out date has been pushed back. the head of the commity just stood down. so talks continue. thats ok. the contractors had him in there back pockets. so now we have a chance.

whats going rong with your contract?

Sprink,

Let me ask a question, and let me start by saying I believe in Unions, I believe in fair wages, etc.., I am all for keeping jobs in Chicago.....

If plastic piping is the way your industry is going, and it's quicker and easier to install, shouldn't that mean the companies that install it have to bid lower prices to get the work? If that's the case, the companies need to lower their costs, either through lower wages, or through getting jobs done faster (workers working faster - higher productivity), or the company profits sink to a level that puts the company out of business. If the choices are to take lower pay for easier work, or go out of business, which would you choose?

I am forced to lower the sell price of the equipment I sell everyday because of increased pressure from my customers over their need to lower costs in order to remain in business here in Chicago. If they can't afford to stay here because of labor, ingredients, shipping, taxes, etc., they shut down and move to where these things are cheaper. I helped a good customer of mine dismantle a factory and relocate it to Mexico because sugar is cheaper there, not to mention labor.

I guess your company can also choose to not bid to work on plastic pipe jobs, thereby avoiding the subject. But if that's the way the future is headed, it's going to be adapt or perish.

I do think it sucks whenever a company asks a worker to take less money for doing the exact same job as before, but in this case maybe they aren't asking for an unreasonable thing. It is a less skilled task (fitting plastic) wouldn't you agree?

well thats the prob. the contractors arent charging less for plastic jobs. they charge the same price per head and pocket the differance. thay are also trying to sneek in a clause that plumbers can do houses under 20 heads. we go to school for 5 years to learn hydralic calcs and fire safety standards. we have to know square footage and proper coverage. i have been to houses to fix what a plumber put in incorectly. so its not just the pay. but thats a big part of it. not to mention the fact that the city of chicago just passed plastic to be used in the city. rite now condos and town homes are bid 3 days each. but we are pushed to get them done in a day. do we see any comps for doing it? no, the owners keep it. why should we get less pay for it? i have all this inside info, so i know what its about. some in the union are just out for the $, but i know why we shouldnt take the pay cut.
perks of bieng a supers son.

Stand your ground, id like to see the average guy deal with the "crap" (pun intended) you guys deal with!!!

I was raised in a union family so i believe whole heartdly in them!

BILL DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO MAN,
i had to,just changed jobs,went into bounty hunting,i get to use my guns,hehe,
on a good note i have bagged 12 bounties in 3 weeks

Sprink,

If the company owners are not taking their fair share of the reductions, then STRIKE. Of course maybe it's a good time to rally the other guys who feel the same as you and start your own company. If your old bosses are putting 20% extra into every bid, it should be easy to beat them on price alone.

So this plastic issue is strictly a residential code? I was wondering if commericial/industrial would allow it.

no just res. even hotels have to have steel mains but the rooms can be plastic. how do you know so much?

I work in equipment sales to (mostly) food and beverage manufacturers, so I see the inside of a lot of factories. The FP issues come up when we install overhead conveyors. Sometimes we have to have sprinklers installed under our equipment if we have created too much of an overhead obstruction to the original systems. I have also had to work with insurance companies like Factory Mutual on fire system requirements.